Furnace for the thermal treatment of goods, use of the furnace and method for the thermal treatment of goods

Abstract

The invention relates to a furnace for the temperature treatment of goods, a use of the furnace and a method for the temperature treatment of goods.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a furnace for the temperature treatment of goods, a use of the furnace and a method for the temperature treatment of goods.

[0002] Furnaces for the temperature treatment of goods are used to subject goods to temperature in order to change their properties. Such furnaces are also known, in particular, in the form of industrial furnaces. Such furnaces generally comprise a furnace chamber into which the goods can be placed and subjected to temperature. To subject the goods to temperature, the furnace has heating means through which the furnace chamber can be subjected to temperature, so that the temperature in the furnace chamber is transferred to the goods and these can be subjected to temperature. Such heating means are known, for example, in the form of electric heating means or in the form of gas burners. It is also known to equip furnaces with transport means by which goods can be transported through the furnace chamber.

[0003] The temperature treatment of sensitive goods in furnaces presents a challenge. Such sensitive goods, for example, must only be exposed to very gentle heat treatment and must also be regularly exposed to a defined furnace atmosphere during their temperature treatment in the furnace. For example, certain sensitive goods may only be exposed to a furnace atmosphere in the form of an inert gas atmosphere, an oxidizing atmosphere, or a reducing atmosphere during their temperature treatment.

[0004] The temperature treatment of sensitive goods in an oven represents a particular challenge, as these goods must be subjected to very gentle heat and at the same time to a specific oven atmosphere.

[0005] This is usually not possible with the ovens currently on the market.

[0006] The invention is based on the object of providing a furnace for the thermal treatment of goods, by which goods can be gently treated with heat in a definable furnace atmosphere. Furthermore, the invention is based on the object of providing a method by which goods can be gently treated with heat in a definable furnace atmosphere.

[0007] To achieve the above object, the invention provides a furnace for the temperature treatment of goods, comprising the following features: a furnace chamber designed to accommodate goods; heating means by means of which the goods in the furnace chamber can be subjected to temperature; transport means by means of which the goods in the furnace chamber can be transported in a transport direction; cooling gas conveying means by means of which gas for cooling the goods can be conveyed through the furnace chamber in countercurrent to the transport direction; wherein the furnace is designed such that a definable furnace atmosphere can be set in the furnace chamber.

[0008] Furthermore, to achieve the above object, a method for temperature treatment of goods is provided, comprising the following steps: for providing a furnace according to the invention; for providing goods; transporting the goods in the furnace chamber by means of the transport means in a transport direction; applying temperature to the goods in the furnace chamber by means of the heating means; conveying gas for cooling the goods by means of the cooling gas conveying means in countercurrent to the transport direction through the furnace chamber such that the goods are cooled by means of the gas; setting a defined furnace atmosphere.

[0009] A basic idea of ​​the invention is based on conveying cooling gas, i.e. gas by means of which the goods transported through the furnace can be cooled, through the furnace chamber in countercurrent to the direction of transport of the goods, wherein at the same time a defined furnace atmosphere is set. The furnace according to the invention is therefore designed such that the basic idea can be implemented by the furnace according to the invention. In particular, the furnace is also designed such that the goods, while they are being transported in the transport direction by means of the transport means, can be cooled by the gas that can be conveyed through the furnace chamber in countercurrent to the transport direction in order to cool the goods. Furthermore, the furnace is also designed in particular such that a definable furnace atmosphere can be set in the furnace chamber.

[0010] By cooling the goods during their transport through the furnace chamber with gas for cooling the goods (hereinafter also referred to as "cooling gas"), the goods can be heated particularly gently while being subjected to heat by the heating medium in the furnace chamber. In particular, the temperature exposure of the goods or their cooling by the cooling gas can be specifically influenced by the cooling gas, for example, by the temperature, the flow velocity, or the volume flow of the cooling gas passed through the furnace chamber. Furthermore, by designing the furnace in such a way that a definable furnace atmosphere can be set in the furnace chamber, a desired furnace atmosphere can be set in the furnace chamber, which can be adapted to the optimal furnace atmosphere for the temperature treatment of the goods.

[0011] The furnace according to the invention and the method according to the invention therefore allow particularly sensitive goods to be subjected to temperature in a particularly advantageous manner.

[0012] According to the invention, it has been found that the goods in the furnace according to the invention can be heated particularly gently if they are also exposed to the cooling gas, if possible, during their entire exposure to temperature. According to a preferred embodiment, it can therefore be provided that the goods are cooled by means of the cooling gas while they are heated in the furnace chamber by means of the heating means. Accordingly, according to the invention, it can be provided that the furnace is configured such that the goods can be cooled by means of the cooling gas while they are heated in the furnace chamber by means of the heating means.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the cooling gas conveying means can comprise cooling gas feed means, via which the gas for cooling the goods can be fed into the furnace chamber. These cooling gas feed means can be designed in accordance with the means known from the prior art for feeding gas into a furnace chamber. In this respect, the cooling gas feed means can, for example, comprise at least one opening through which the cooling gas can be fed into the furnace chamber. This at least one opening can, for example, be designed as a nozzle. The cooling gas feed means can be configured such that cooling gas can be fed into the furnace chamber at one point or at several points. For example, if the cooling gas feed means comprise several openings, cooling gas can be fed into the furnace chamber via several openings at several points.Particularly preferably, the cooling gas feed means can be configured such that cooling gas can be fed into the furnace chamber at multiple points along the transport direction. This allows the goods to be cooled particularly gently with cooling gas in countercurrent along their transport path.

[0014] According to one embodiment, it can be provided that the cooling gas conveying means comprise gas outlet means through which gas can be discharged from the furnace chamber. The gas that can be discharged or withdrawn via the gas outlet means can in particular be fuel gas that was produced during the temperature treatment of the goods in the furnace. These gas outlet means can be designed in accordance with the means known from the prior art for discharging or withdrawing gas or fuel gas from a furnace chamber. In this respect, the gas outlet means can, for example, comprise at least one opening through which gas can be discharged from the furnace chamber. The gas outlet means can be configured such that gas can be discharged from the furnace chamber at one point or at several points. For example, if the gas outlet means comprise several openings, gas can be discharged from the furnace chamber via several openings at several points.Particularly preferably, the gas outlet means can be configured such that gas can be discharged from the furnace chamber at multiple points along the transport direction. This allows gas or fuel gas to be removed from the furnace chamber particularly gently and evenly along the transport path of the goods, which additionally ensures particularly gentle treatment of the goods in the furnace.

[0015] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the furnace according to the invention can be configured and the method according to the invention is carried out in such a way that gas is circulated or guided in a circuit to cool the goods in the furnace using the cooling gas. Cooling gas is preferably fed into the furnace chamber, in particular via the cooling gas feed means, and then conveyed in countercurrent through the furnace chamber. Subsequently, the gas produced in the furnace chamber is withdrawn from the furnace chamber, in particular via the gas outlet means. This gas is subsequently cooled and finally conveyed back to the cooling gas feed means, where the cooled gas is fed back into the furnace chamber as cooling gas. This provides a particularly simple and effective way of cooling the goods in the furnace in countercurrent and simultaneously adjusting the furnace atmosphere.By circulating the gas, the ingress of false air, which could change or impair the furnace atmosphere, can be easily avoided.

[0016] According to a preferred embodiment, the cooling gas conveying means can comprise gas conveying means by means of which gas discharged from the furnace chamber via the gas outlet means can be conveyed to the cooling gas feed means. These gas conveying means can be designed according to the means known from the prior art for conveying gas, in particular fuel gas. In this respect, the gas conveying means can in particular comprise, for example, at least one gas line and at least one fan. By means of such a gas conveying means, gas withdrawn from the furnace chamber can be conveyed back to the cooling gas feed means particularly easily.

[0017] According to a preferred embodiment, gas can be extracted from the furnace chamber via the gas outlet means by means of the gas conveying means. The gas is thus not only exhausted from the furnace chamber passively, but is also extracted from the furnace chamber in a targeted manner, particularly by means of negative pressure. Such extraction or suction of gas from the furnace chamber can be achieved particularly simply and effectively if the gas conveying means, as previously explained, comprise at least one fan, by means of which a negative pressure can be generated at the gas outlet means, via which negative pressure can be extracted from the furnace chamber.

[0018] According to a preferred embodiment, gas for cooling the goods can be injected into the furnace chamber via the cooling gas feed means by means of the gas conveying means. The feeding of cooling gas into the furnace chamber therefore does not only occur passively, but the cooling gas is specifically pressed or injected into the furnace chamber, in particular by means of overpressure. Such injection of cooling gas into the furnace chamber can be achieved particularly simply and effectively in that the gas conveying means, as previously explained, comprise at least one blower, by means of which overpressure can be generated at the cooling gas feed means, via which overpressure the cooling gas can be injected into the furnace chamber.

[0019] According to a preferred embodiment, the furnace according to the invention is configured such that the cooling gas conveying means comprise a cooling device by means of which the gas can be cooled. The cooling device serves to generate the cooling gas by means of which the goods can be cooled. As previously stated, it can preferably be provided that the gas discharged from the furnace chamber via the gas outlet means can be cooled by means of the cooling device, thus enabling the gas circulation described above.

[0020] According to a preferred embodiment, the gas conveying means comprise the cooling device. This allows the above-described gas circulation to be implemented particularly simply and effectively, since the gas conveying means not only allow the gas to be withdrawn from the furnace chamber and conveyed to the cooling gas feed means, but also allows the gas to be cooled during this conveying process and thus fed back into the furnace chamber as cooling gas.

[0021] The cooling device can in principle be provided in the form of any means known from the prior art for cooling gas, in particular fuel gas. According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the cooling device comprises a heat exchanger. This allows the gas extracted from the furnace chamber to be cooled particularly easily and effectively and then fed back into the furnace chamber as cooling gas. Such a heat exchanger can in particular be provided in the form of an air or water heat exchanger. A particular advantage of using a heat exchanger for cooling the gas or for generating cooling gas is that it can prevent the ingress of false air into the system, so that the furnace atmosphere is not impaired.

[0022] Preferably, it can be provided that the gas which can be discharged from the furnace chamber via the gas outlet means can be cooled by means of the cooling device by means of the gas conveying means and the cooled gas can be conveyed to the cooling gas feed means.

[0023] In order to be able to set a desired furnace atmosphere in the furnace according to the invention, the furnace is configured such that a definable furnace atmosphere can be set in the furnace chamber. For this purpose, the furnace chamber can be sealed, in particular, from the environment, in particular gas-tight. "Environment" in this sense is the space outside the furnace. In this respect, the furnace can, for example, comprise sealing means by which the furnace chamber can be sealed from the environment. In principle, the furnace can be sealed from the environment according to the technologies known from the prior art.

[0024] In the correspondingly sealable furnace chamber, a definable or desired furnace atmosphere can be set, for example an inert gas atmosphere, an oxidizing atmosphere or a reducing atmosphere, depending on the optimal atmosphere for the temperature treatment of the goods in the furnace.

[0025] In order to be able to seal the furnace chamber from the environment and thereby prevent the entry of unwanted air from the environment into the furnace chamber, according to a preferred embodiment it can be provided that the furnace comprises at least one lock via which the furnace chamber can be loaded with goods.

[0026] According to the invention, it was surprisingly found that the goods can be cooled particularly effectively by the cooling gas if the cooling gas is conveyed through the furnace chamber in a turbulent countercurrent to the direction of transport. This finding is a departure from the predominantly prior art view that cooling gases should be guided through a furnace in a laminar manner. However, according to the invention, it has now been found that particularly good heat transfer, in particular on all sides, from the goods to the cooling gas takes place if the cooling gas flows turbulently around the goods. According to a preferred embodiment, it is therefore provided that the furnace is set up in such a way that the gas for cooling the goods can be conveyed through the furnace chamber in a turbulent countercurrent to the direction of transport or that the gas for cooling the goods is guided through the furnace chamber in a turbulent countercurrent to the direction of transport in order to cool the goods.

[0027] According to the invention, it was found that such a turbulent countercurrent can be generated particularly when the goods are transported through the furnace chamber by means of transport rollers. According to a preferred embodiment, the transport means therefore comprise transport rollers, by means of which the goods can be transported through the furnace chamber.

[0028] Transport rollers for industrial furnaces are known from the prior art, for example, for roller furnaces. The furnace according to the invention can therefore be designed in the manner of a roller furnace. As is known, a roller furnace is a continuously operating industrial furnace that includes transport means in the form of transport rollers, by means of which the goods are transported through the furnace chamber.

[0029] As is known from the prior art, the transport rollers can be arranged parallel to one another, in particular in a plane, so that goods arranged on the transport rollers are transported along the plane by rotation of the transport rollers. The transport rollers can preferably be driven, for example, via a motor-driven chain drive or several individual motor drives.

[0030] As is known from the prior art, the transport rollers can be arranged to rotate about their longitudinal axis, with the longitudinal axis preferably running horizontally and transversely to the transport direction. The transport rollers are preferably made of ceramic on the outside, which prevents contamination of the goods in the furnace chamber by metal abrasion from the rollers.

[0031] Preferably, the transport rollers are arranged at a distance from one another. According to the invention, it has been found that this allows cooling gas to flow between the transport rollers, thereby promoting a turbulent flow of the cooling gas.

[0032] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, it can be provided that the transport means, in particular in the form of transport rollers, are arranged in such a way that cooling gas can be or is conveyed above and below the transport means, i.e. in particular above and below a plane defined by transport means in the form of transport rollers, in counterflow to the transport direction through the furnace chamber.

[0033] According to a further development of this inventive concept, it can be provided that cooling gas can be or is fed into the furnace chamber above and below the transport means via the cooling gas feed means.

[0034] Accordingly, according to one embodiment, it can be provided that gas can be or is discharged from the furnace chamber above and below the transport means via the gas outlet means.

[0035] When cooling gas is fed into the furnace chamber above and below the conveyors, this leads to a turbulent counterflow of cooling gas in the furnace chamber, as the gas flows between the spaced-apart conveyor rollers, causing the gas to swirl within the furnace chamber. This allows the goods to be cooled particularly effectively, as described above. This cooling effect can be enhanced if the gas is also released from the furnace chamber above and below the conveyors.

[0036] According to a preferred embodiment, the furnace chamber is tunnel-shaped.

[0037] According to a preferred embodiment, the furnace chamber extends linearly. This allows for particularly easy transport of goods through the furnace chamber. According to a preferred development of this inventive concept, the furnace chamber can be tunnel-shaped and extend linearly, as this makes transporting goods through the furnace chamber particularly easy.

[0038] The furnace according to the invention is preferably an industrial furnace, particularly preferably a continuous industrial furnace. As is known, in a continuous industrial furnace, goods are continuously heated and simultaneously transported through the furnace chamber.

[0039] For example, the furnace according to the invention can, as previously explained, be designed in the manner of an industrial furnace in the form of a roller furnace.

[0040] According to a preferred embodiment, the furnace chamber may comprise a furnace inlet and a furnace outlet. The furnace chamber can be charged with goods through the furnace inlet, and the goods treated in the furnace chamber can be removed from the furnace chamber again through the furnace outlet. If the furnace chamber, as previously stated, is tunnel-shaped and extends, in particular, linearly, the furnace inlet and the furnace outlet can be located at the two opposite ends of the tunnel.

[0041] According to one embodiment, the furnace inlet and the furnace outlet can each be closed by a furnace door, in particular sealed gas-tight, so that a definable furnace atmosphere can be set in the furnace chamber. Particularly preferably, these furnace doors, as previously explained, are each designed as a lock, since locks particularly advantageously enable the furnace chamber to be sealed gas-tight during operation while simultaneously allowing the continuous introduction of goods into and removal of goods from the furnace chamber.

[0042] The heating means can, in principle, be provided in the form of any heating means known from the prior art that can be used to heat the goods in a furnace chamber. According to a preferred embodiment, the heating means comprise electrical heating means, for example, electrical resistance heating elements. By applying electrical heating means to the goods, the goods can be heated particularly gently and precisely.

[0043] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, cooling pipes can be arranged in the furnace chamber. These cooling pipes can be used to additionally cool the furnace chamber, i.e., via the cooling according to the invention by conveying cooling gas in countercurrent.

[0044] According to the invention, it was found that such cooling tubes can not only achieve additional cooling of the goods, but in particular also a special homogenization of the cooling across the furnace cross-section.

[0045] Particularly preferably, cooling tubes are provided in the form of fluid-permeable cooling tubes. These cooling tubes can preferably be permeable to a fluid in the form of water or air, thereby providing additional cooling of the furnace chamber. In particular, it can be provided that the cooling tubes are arranged above and below the transport means in the furnace chamber, in particular above and below transport means in the form of transport rollers.

[0046] According to the invention, it has been found that the furnace according to the invention and the method according to the invention are particularly suitable for the thermal treatment of powdered materials. According to a preferred embodiment, the furnace according to the invention is intended for the thermal treatment of powdered materials.

[0047] Such powdered materials can be provided, in particular, in the form of powdered cathode material (Cathode Active Materials, CAM) or powdered anode material (Anode Active Materials, AAM). According to the invention, it has been found that such powdered materials, in particular, can be particularly advantageously treated with heat by the furnace according to the invention and the method according to the invention.

[0048] The invention also relates to the use of the furnace according to the invention for the temperature treatment of powdered goods, in particular for the temperature treatment of powdered goods in the form of the aforementioned powdered cathode material and / or powdered anode material.

[0049] Further features of the invention emerge from the claims, the figure and the associated description of the figures.

[0050] All features of the invention can be combined with each other in any way, individually or in combination.

[0051] A highly schematic embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail with reference to the figure and the associated figure description.

[0052] This shows Figure 1 shows a highly schematic embodiment of a furnace according to the invention in a lateral sectional view along the transport direction.

[0053] In its entirety, the furnace is in accordance withFigure 1 marked with the reference number 1.

[0054] The furnace 1 comprises a furnace wall 2. The furnace wall 2 comprises a steel shell lined on the inside with a refractory ceramic. The furnace wall 2 encloses a tunnel-shaped furnace chamber 3, which is designed to accommodate goods 8. The furnace chamber 3 is tunnel-shaped and extends linearly from a first (in Figure 1 left) end 4 of the furnace chamber 3 to a second (in Figure 1right) end 5 of the furnace chamber 3. At its first end 4, the furnace 1 has a furnace inlet 6 and at its second end 5 a furnace outlet 7. The furnace chamber 3 can be charged with goods 8 through the furnace inlet 6. These goods 8 can in turn be removed from the furnace chamber 3 through the furnace outlet 7. The furnace inlet 6 can be closed by a first lock 9 and the furnace outlet 7 by a second lock 10. The first lock 9 and the second lock 10 are each designed such that the furnace chamber 3 can be closed gas-tight by the locks 9, 10 and yet at the same time a continuous input and output of goods 8 into and from the furnace chamber 3 can be carried out.

[0055] The furnace 1 is constructed in the manner of an industrial furnace in the form of a continuously operating roller furnace and comprises transport rollers 11 as a means of transport, by means of which the goods 8 can be transported in the transport direction T from the first end 4 of the furnace chamber 3 to the second end 5 of the furnace chamber 3. The transport direction T runs in the illustration according to Figure 1 from left to right in the direction of the arrow along the dashed line marked T. The transport rollers 11 run horizontally and transversely to the transport direction T, in the illustration according to Figure 1 i.e., perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. The transport rollers 11 are arranged at a distance from one another in a horizontal plane E. The transport rollers 11 can be driven or rotated by a motorized chain drive (not shown).

[0056] By means of heating means 13 in the form of electrical resistance heating elements arranged in the furnace chamber 3, goods 8 located in the furnace chamber 3 can be heated. The heating means 13 are arranged along the entire furnace chamber 3.

[0057] The furnace 1 further comprises cooling gas conveying means 14, by means of which gas for cooling the goods 8 can be conveyed through the furnace chamber 3 in countercurrent to the transport direction T. The cooling gas conveying means 14 are configured such that cooling gas can be conveyed in a gas circulation or circuit. For this purpose, the cooling gas conveying means 14 comprise cooling gas feed means 17.1, 17.2, gas outlet means 16.1, 16.2, gas conveying means 21, and a cooling device 19. The cooling gas conveying means 14 are sealed gas-tight from the environment and are fluidically connected to the furnace chamber 3 only via the cooling gas feed means 17.1, 17.2 and gas outlet means 16.1, 16.2.

[0058] The cooling gas feed means 17.1, 17.2 are arranged adjacent to the furnace outlet 7 and comprise an upper opening 17.1 and a lower opening 17.2, each of which opens into the furnace chamber 3. The upper opening 17.1 opens above the level E of the transport rollers 11, and the lower opening 17.2 opens below the level E of the transport rollers 11 into the furnace chamber 3.

[0059] The gas outlet means 16.1, 16.2 are arranged adjacent to the furnace inlet 6 and comprise an upper opening 16.1 and a lower opening 16.2, each of which opens into the furnace chamber 3. The upper opening 16.1 opens above the level E of the transport rollers 11, and the lower opening 16.2 opens below the level E of the transport rollers 11 into the furnace chamber 3.

[0060] The gas conveying means 21 comprise gas lines 15, a blower 18 and a cooling device 19. The gas lines 15 fluidically connect the gas outlet means 16.1, 16.2 with the cooling gas feed means 17.1, 17.2, so that gas can be fluidly conveyed or flowed via the gas lines 15 from the gas outlet means 16.1, 16.2 to the cooling gas feed means 17.1, 17.2. The gas lines 15 run outside the furnace chamber 3. In order to convey gas via the gas lines 15 from the gas outlet means 16.1, 12.2 to the cooling gas feed means 17.1, 17.2, the blower 18 is connected to the gas lines 15 in such a way that the blower 18 can actively convey gas from the gas outlet means 16.1, 12.2 to the cooling gas feed means 17.1, 17.2. The cooling device 19 is an air heat exchanger.The gas lines 15 are coupled to the cooling device 19 in such a way that gas flowing through the gas lines 15 can be cooled by the cooling device 19 or the air heat exchanger.

[0061] When the fan 18 is running, cooling gas is fed into the furnace chamber 3 through the cooling gas feed means 17.1, 17.2 by means of the overpressure generated by the fan 18 in the area of ​​the cooling gas feed means 17.1, 17.2. At the same time, the fan 18 creates a negative pressure in the area of ​​the gas outlet means 16.1, 16.2, whereby gas present in the furnace chamber 3, in particular also fuel gas present in the furnace chamber 3 during the temperature treatment of the goods 8, is extracted through the gas outlet means 16.1, 16.2. The extracted gas is then fed via the gas lines 15 by the fan 18 to the cooling gas feed means 17.1, 17.2 and injected into the furnace chamber 3. On its way through the gas lines 15, the gas is cooled by the cooling device 19.

[0062] On its way through the furnace chamber 3, the cooling gas flows against the transport direction T of the goods 8 and thus in countercurrent to the transport direction T through the furnace chamber 3, in Figure 1i.e., from right to left. The cooling gas flows along a flow path S1 above level E and along a flow path S2 below level E through the furnace chamber 3.

[0063] Since the transport rollers 11 are arranged at a distance from one another along the plane E, as explained above, a part of the cooling gas also flows transversely to the first and second flow paths S1, S2 through the plane E of the transport rollers 11.

[0064] In the exemplary embodiment, the materials 8 that can be heat-treated in the furnace 1 are in the form of powdered cathode material. This powdered cathode material is arranged in ceramic capsules 20, so-called saggers, which are transported on the transport rollers 11.

[0065] Furthermore, cooling pipes 22 through which air can flow are arranged in the furnace chamber 3 above and below the level E along the entire furnace chamber 3.

[0066] In practical application, a method according to the invention can be carried out by the furnace 1 shown in the embodiment as follows.

[0067] Goods 8 are continuously fed into the furnace chamber 3 via the first lock 9, transported there in the transport direction T via the transport rollers 11, and then removed from the furnace chamber 3 again via the second lock 10. During transport in the furnace chamber 3, the goods 8 are heated by means of the heating means 13. Furthermore, as previously explained, cooling gas is continuously conveyed through the furnace chamber 3 along the first and second flow paths S1, S1 in countercurrent to the transport direction T, thereby cooling the goods 8. Crossflows of cooling gas through the plane E create turbulence in the cooling gas, which leads to a turbulent counterflow, whereby the goods 8 are cooled particularly effectively. This cooling is further enhanced by cooling by means of the cooling pipes 22, through which cooling air continuously flows.

[0068] The furnace 1 is sealed gas-tight from the environment. By introducing goods 8 into the furnace chamber 3 and removing them from the furnace chamber 3 via the locks 9, 10, and by sealing the cooling gas conveying means 14 gas-tight from the environment, the ingress of unwanted air from the environment into the furnace 1 or the furnace chamber 3 can be prevented. This allows an individually definable furnace atmosphere to be set in the furnace 1.

[0069] During the treatment of the goods 8, a furnace atmosphere is therefore set in the furnace chamber 3 that is optimally adapted to the treatment of the goods 8.

Claims

1. A furnace (1) for the temperature treatment of goods (8), comprising the following features: 1.1 a furnace chamber (3) designed to accommodate goods (8); 1.2 heating means (13) by means of which the goods (8) in the furnace chamber (3) can be subjected to temperature; 1.3 transport means (11) by means of which the goods (8) in the furnace chamber (3) can be transported in a transport direction (T); 1.4 cooling gas conveying means (14) by means of which gas for cooling the goods (8) can be conveyed through the furnace chamber (3) in countercurrent to the transport direction (T); wherein 1.5 the furnace (1) is designed such that a definable furnace atmosphere can be set in the furnace chamber (3).

2. Furnace (1) according to claim 1, wherein the cooling gas conveying means (14) comprise cooling gas feed means (17.1, 17.2) via which the gas for cooling the goods (8) can be fed into the furnace chamber (3).

3. Furnace (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the cooling gas conveying means (14) comprise gas outlet means (16.1, 16.2) via which gas can be discharged from the furnace chamber (3).

4. Furnace (1) according to claims 2 and 3, wherein the cooling gas conveying means (14) comprise gas conveying means (21) by means of which gas which can be discharged from the furnace chamber (3) via the gas outlet means (16.1, 16.2) can be conveyed to the cooling gas feed means (17.1, 17.2).

5. Furnace (1) according to claim 4, wherein gas can be sucked out of the furnace chamber (3) via the gas outlet means (16.1, 16.2) by means of the gas conveying means (21).

6. Furnace (1) according to at least one of claims 4 to 5, wherein gas for cooling the goods (8) can be injected into the furnace chamber (3) via the cooling gas feed means (17.1, 17.2) by means of the gas conveying means (21).

7. Furnace (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the cooling gas conveying means (14) comprise a cooling device (19) by means of which gas can be cooled.

8. Oven (1) according to claim 7, wherein the cooling device (19) comprises a heat exchanger.

9. Furnace (1) according to claims 3 and 7, wherein gas which can be discharged from the furnace chamber (3) via the gas outlet means (16.1, 16.2) can be cooled by means of the cooling device (19).

10. Furnace (1) according to claims 4 and 7, wherein the gas conveying means (21) comprise the cooling device (19).

11. Furnace (1) according to claims 4 and 10, wherein the gas which can be discharged from the furnace chamber (3) via the gas outlet means (16.1, 16.2) can be cooled by means of the cooling device (19) by means of the gas conveying means (21) and the cooled gas can be conveyed to the cooling gas feed means (17.1, 17.2).

12. Furnace (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims for the temperature treatment of powdered goods (8).

13. Oven (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the transport means (11) comprise transport rollers.

14. Use of the furnace (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims for the temperature treatment of powdered goods (1).

15. A method for the temperature treatment of goods, comprising the following steps: A. providing a furnace (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 13; B. providing goods (8); C. transporting the goods (8) in the furnace chamber (3) by means of the transport means (11) in a transport direction (T); D. applying temperature to the goods (8) in the furnace chamber (3) by means of the heating means (13); E. conveying gas for cooling the goods (8) by means of the cooling gas conveying means (14) in countercurrent to the transport direction (T) through the furnace chamber (3) such that the goods (8) are cooled by means of the gas; F. setting a defined furnace atmosphere.

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